COWARDLY ASSAULT.

Waikato Times, Volume 100, Issue 16812, 2 June 1926, Page 4

COWARDLY ASSAULT.

YOUNG WOMEN IYIOLEBTED AIAGISTRATE’S SEVERE COMMENT.. “The molestation of young women;, by half-drunken young blackguards will not be tolerated,” said Mr Wyvcra Wilson, S.AI., in sentencing a young man named Leo Patrick Crosby in tha Hamilton Magistrate's Court this morning. Accused was charged with the theft of a bicycle lamp from a young woman in Hamilton at 8 o’clock last night, with assaulting' her with'liis clenched, fist and also assaulting another young woman who was her companion, Ho pleaded not guilty to llio first charge and guilty to the other two. Detective Sweeney said that at aboui S o’clock last night defendant and a companion were in the right-of-way by the office of the Waikato Times, when Uic two young ladies concerned emerged from a restaurant adjoining. Accused snatched a bicycle lamp from one of the young ladies and shone it in her face. lie then seized her anil attempted to kiss her two or three times. Her companion came to her assistance and accused, after attempting to kiss her, again turned liis unwelcome attention upon the first young woman. She struggled to free herself from him and hit him in the face with her hand-bag. He then struck iter a violent blow in the face with his i clenched fist, committing a cowardly i assault. After the evidence in defence of tho charge of theft had been submitted the information was withdrawn, lcav- • ing the two charges of assault to be, ; dealt with. It was slated on Crosby's behalf tliafi ‘ he had come into town for the Show and met some friends. Subsequently he became the worse for liquor and ■ perhaps that was what made him lose control of himself. lie could recollect nothing of ttie affair. No other excuse was offered in his defence other than that the influence of liquor was responsible for his action. Sentenced to Imprisonment. His Worship said lie looked upon the offence as a very serious one and there could be no mitigation because lie had been drinking. Young blackguards who indulged in drinking as accuse'd had done must learn that the weaker sex had to be protected. To fine accused would be to let Tiim off too lightly, nor would lie admit him to probation. He accordingly sentenced him to seven days’ imprisonment on each of the two charges, the sentences to be concurrent.